1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to password protected machines where a predetermined kind of access (for example, access to a predetermined set of activities) is protected by password(s) (see DEFINITIONS section) protection and more particularly to computer software with alphanumeric password protection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Password protected machines are conventional. Password protected machines where a user may or must use multiple passwords are conventional. Password protected machines using “alternative passwords” (see DEFINITIONS section) are less common, but they are known. The following discussion of related art will discuss some conventional password protected machines with multiple, non-alternative passwords, and also some conventional password protected machines with alternative passwords, because some understanding of both of these general categories of password protected machines may be helpful in understanding all aspects of the present invention. For example, US patent application 2003/0046083 (“Devinney”) discloses the use of spoken passwords as a security measure for use in transaction systems, such as point of sales systems, home authorization systems, systems for establishing a telephone call and the like. More specifically, software based speech recognition techniques are applied to the spoken password to determine the identity of the speaker. Devinney further discloses a two-tier system that is conditional on rejection of a first password. A first speech password is obtained. The Devinney speech recognition unit then determines whether it recognizes the first password. If the first password is recognized, then authorization and identification will occur. If the speech recognition unit does not recognize the first password, it generates a second password. The second password is randomly generated by the Devinney speech recognition unit. The second speech password is obtained from the user, and if the second password is recognized, then authorization or identification occurs. If the second password is not recognized, no authorization or identification occurs. The two passwords of the Devinney system would not be considered as alternative passwords (see DEFINITIONS section) because the password to be used at any given point in time is not chosen by a user. It is noted that the Devinney system requires the use of speech level audio information and therefore: (i) requires the hardware and software to support this functionality; and (ii) is subject to vagaries and issues inherent in speech communication (for example, laryngitis). Also, Devinney does not deactivate the first password if it is not recognized. Nor does Devinney deactivate the first password upon successful use of the second password.
US patent application 2007/0124807 (“Jau”) discloses a password exchange method in a computer system used for semiconductor fabrication and having a client server architecture. Jau discloses that the server responds to requests received from a client when a client password received therefrom matches a current password stored in the password update system. In the Jau system, a first password and a second password are received and stored by the server. When the server utilizes the first password as the current password, the client also utilizes the first password as the client password. In the Jau system, when the first password expires, the server automatically utilizes of the second password as the current password. In the Jau system, when a request from the client fails elicit a response, the client retransmits the request utilizing the second password as the client password. Jau discloses that communication failures may thereby be avoided due to password expiration and updating. The two passwords of Jau cannot be considered as alternative passwords (see DEFINITIONS section) because the second password is not available when the first password is. It is noted that Jau only uses the second password upon expiration of the first password, and does not otherwise resort to using its second password. Also, The only disclosed reason that Jau activates its second password is because of expiration of the first password.
US patent application 2007/0250920 (“Lindsay”) teaches a password protected machine where a first set of activities is permitted by a first password and a second set of authorized activities is permitted by a second password. The two passwords of the Lindsay password protected machine cannot be considered as alternative passwords (see DEFINITIONS section).
US patent application 2007/0079143 (“Fazal”) discloses a password protected machine with two alternative passwords (see DEFINITIONS section). Fazal discloses a password protected machine that enables a user who forgets one of his two passwords to securely recover the forgotten password. In Fazal, after a user logs in using one of her two passwords, the Fazal password system reveals the other, alternative password to the user. The passwords are stored in a persistent table in both hashed and encrypted forms, but not in their original forms. In Fazal, two, alternative passwords are activated at the same time. However, Fazal does not disclose a system where the use of one of the alternative password causes the deactivation of the other alternative password.
In some conventional password protected machines, upon certain specified conditions (for example, a forgotten password), a first password may be reset to a second, default password. Typically, in these password systems, the users is promptly required to reset the default password again to a non-default value. However, this default value password is typically not assigned until after the first password has been forgotten and deactivated. In other words, the default password is not assigned until after deactivation of the first password. Also, the default password is not typically chosen by the user, but rather automatically generated by the password protected machine. Of course, the first password and the default password are not alternative passwords because the default password only comes into play after the first password is deactivated.
In some conventional password protected machines, two “passwords” are required to be entered one after the other to get the predetermined kind of access (for example, access to a set of activities). For present purposes, this should not be considered as alternative passwords (see DEFINITIONS section) or even as separate passwords, but rather as a single multi-part password.
In some conventional password protected machines, a user is assigned multiple passwords where the multiple passwords respectively control different accounts held by the same user, or different types or levels of access obtainable by the same user. These are not alternative passwords because they do not give substantially identical access, with different passwords giving substantially different types or levels of access.
In some conventional password protected machines used by credit unions, there are primary and secondary passwords used to access the same account. However, these are not alternative passwords (see DEFINITIONS section) because the primary password can be used only on registered hardware (for example, registered client terminals), while the secondary password can be used only on non-registered hardware. This means that the primary and secondary passwords are not alternatives because they cannot be used on the same hardware, even though they might enable similar levels of access to an access controlled module (see DEFINITIONS section).
Description Of the Related Art Section Disclaimer: To the extent that specific publications are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section, these discussions should not be taken as an admission that the discussed publications (for example, published patents) are prior art for patent law purposes. For example, some or all of the discussed publications may not be sufficiently early in time, may not reflect subject matter developed early enough in time and/or may not be sufficiently enabling so as to amount to prior art for patent law purposes. To the extent that specific publications are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section, they are all hereby incorporated by reference into this document in their respective entirety(ies).